An Ocala man found himself behind bars Tuesday night after failing to come to a complete stop at a Summerfield intersection.
A Marion County sheriff’s deputy stopped a dark-colored Pontiac Vibe near the intersection of S.E. 145th Street and 47th Avenue. He conducted a traffic stop and spoke with the driver’s 27-year-old Jaime Borrell. The deputy noted that Borrell’s face was flushed, his eyes were watery and he “appeared to be sweating immensely and his clothing appeared soaked,” a sheriff’s office report states.
The deputy reported smelling a strong odor of urine coming from Borrell’s body. He asked him for his driver’s license and he said he didn’t have it. The deputy then asked Borrell if he had a valid driver’s license and he replied, “I should.” He also said that if his license was suspended, it was for failure to pay court fines, the report says, noting that Borrell’s hands were “twitching frequently.”
A computer check showed that Borrell didn’t have a valid driver’s license and was a habitual traffic offender. It showed a suspension on Dec. 8, 2012 for driving under the influence, Borrell being labeled a habitual traffic offender on Nov. 5, 2013 and an active suspension from Jan. 27 connected to a controlled substance violation, the report says.
The deputy spoke with Borrell a second time and noted that his speech was “very slurred and mumbled.” He was still sweating profusely and after a second deputy responded to the scene, Borrell was placed under arrest for being a habitual traffic offender and driving while license suspended or revoked.
While searching Borrell’s vehicle, deputies found a Mike’s Harder Green Apple and a Mike’s Harder Black Cherry alcoholic beverage container on the front passenger seat floorboard. The driver’s seat also was soaked in liquid that was believed to be urine, the report says.
After being read his rights, Borrell said he drank from the alcoholic beverage containers found in his vehicle two days earlier but not on the night he was stopped. Deputies noted that throughout their conversation with Borrell he “appeared to be dozing in and out of his sleep.” He denied taking any illegal drugs and when asked his phone number, he replied, “Jumping potatoes” and proceeded to lay his head back, the report says.
The deputy called Borrell by his name in an attempt to get his attention and he woke up and provided his phone number. Deputies noted that they had to ask Borrell the same questions repeatedly until he understood them and call out his name frequently to attempt to get his attention, the report says.
Borrell was transported to the Marion County Jail, where he agreed to participate in field sobriety exercises. He failed all three and provided a breath sample that showed .000 blood alcohol content. A deputy who specializes in drug recognition was then called to conduct further field exercises and determined that Borrell was “under the influence of a stimulant,” the report says.
Borrell, who lives at 18 Redwood Track Trace in Ocala, was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and driving with license suspended or revoked (habitual). He was being held on $15,000 bond and is due in court Aug. 11 at 9 a.m. to answer to the charges.
